


A Sister's Responsibility

by dulcetair



Category: Homestuck, MS Paint Adventures
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-29
Updated: 2012-12-29
Packaged: 2017-11-22 20:10:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/613796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dulcetair/pseuds/dulcetair
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Terezi recalls how she and Vriska met and the nature of their relationship as she struggles to find a reason to spare her. LadyStuck 2012.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Sister's Responsibility

**Author's Note:**

  * For [temporalDecay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/temporalDecay/gifts).



> Hi I hope you like this faithbegetsfaith! I tried not to make it angsty but for some reason everything I touch turns into sadstuck.

_Clack Clack_

The sound of your heels hitting the ground ring out through the empty hallway, sounding too much like the  _tick tock_ of clock. Specifically the one counting down until you reach your final problem.

_Clack Clack_

Your face is calm but your mind is racing. You know what you should do, what you  _have_ to do. But you don't want to do it. 

_Clack Clack Clack_

Decisions were always so easy for you in the past, at least when justice was involved. A legislacerator cannot second guess herself, it always leads to disaster. But in this case, in  _her_ case, you can't help but waver, even if you don't know why you do so.

No, that's wrong. You know why.

You wouldn't be who you are today without Vriska Serket. Even when she attacked you and blinded you, it made you better. It made you see the world in a different way. A better way. You remember all too well how you were before she showed up. And you can't help remembering. 

Sitting alone in your respiteblock, studying the legislacerators of old, occasionally messaging Sollux or Nepeta. But something was wrong. Something was missing. It seemed like the answer was right in front of you, but you just couldn’t see it. You were five sweeps old, and you were blind.

  
 **Terezi: Remember**

  
It must have been Nepeta who first put the idea into your head. She was always complaining about how her moirail wouldn’t let her play the more extreme role-playing games that had recently become so popular. The one she most talked about was called FLARP. This you had heard of. It was notorious for Highbloods using it to facilitate the slaughter of weaker trolls to feed their monstrous lusai, and that was reason enough for you to stay away.

  
… Still, lurking certainly wouldn’t do much harm. You ended up making an account, but you stuck to the forums; discussed strategy and gave advice. The priority was to avoid attracting the attention of the more…. hardcore trolls. Even though you gained a small following, you were by no means popular. To this day you still don’t know how she found you.

  
It started with a private message from one Marquise Spinneret Mindfang requesting collaboration on a game or two.

  
You declined.

  
She persisted.

  
You learned later that when Vriska really wants something, she won't stop until she either gets it or destroys it. It wasn’t long until you could expect multiple messages a night from the Marquise, and somehow you could not bring yourself to block her. Though you refused to FLARP, she recruited you for some other, less treacherous games to play against her. You lost every time.

  
 _S8fe_ , that’s what she called you. _You’re too s8fe Pyrope and that’s why you’ll never 8eat me. You don’t t8ke chances, and if you don’t t8ke chances you don’t win. Look at you spending all of your time watching these losers have all the fun, never getting any REAL experience. Never getting your hands dirty. You can cl8im you’re just a manipul8tor as much as you like but it doesn’t excuse you from running away. Whenever anything gets too hot to handle you can just log off and hide in your recuperacoon. 8ut when you finally start letting go you can be gr8. You have potential, Pyrope, trust me I have an eye for these things. :::;)_

  
You remember looking around your respiteblock; looking at all of your books neatly stacked against the plain gray walls of your hive. You remember looking out your window, bolted tight. Vriska was right.  
And you were furious.

  
You told her you would play the next night.

 

And you did. You were so damn excited too. You lay awake the day before, adrenaline pulsing through you and a stupid smile stuck to your face.

  
Of course she was right. As soon as you started letting go of your caution you excelled. You and Vriska dominated FLARP, no player escaped the scourge of your team. That’s what they called you. The Scourge. She loved it. S _ee Terezi? People have started to notice us, and that’s the first step in becoming a legend._ Everything was about being a legend for Vriska. Being the best, and proving it. Her obsession should have disquieted you, but of course it didn’t. Her enthusiasm was contagious and you were addicted.

  
There was a period of time where Vriska was blocking Kanaya's messages, caught up in the whirlwind of success the two of you had been having. So, to your annoyance, you started receiving concerned messages in her stead. Kanaya went to you for constant updates on the status of the many irons Vriska had in her assorted fires. You told her not to worry, that Vriska could handle herself. She was not convinced.

_I Am Doing This For Her Own Good_

_Someone Has To Watch Her_

  
You assured her that you had it covered.

  
 _One Cannot Rely On Ones Kismesis To Adequately Watch Over Oneself_

  
You informed her that you are not Vriska’s kismesis. You are not Vriska’s anything.

  
 _I Find This Hard To Believe_

  
You remember leaning back from your husktop and considering a relationship with Vriska, it was almost laughable. You could never be her moiral, you do the exact opposite of pacifying her. Kismesitude was out as well, you would rather work with her than be her rival. Auspisticing in a relationship with Vriska seemed exhausting, and she didn’t make you feel any of the feelings associated with matespritship either.  
You told this to Kanaya.

_Interesting_

_Your Relationship Closely Resembles One That The Ancient Ones I Have Been Reading About Value  
_  
 _Though There Is No Equivalent For Us_

_The Term Is Sisters  
_  
 _I Believe That The Correct Definition Is Two Similar Females Who Share A Close Yet Platonic Bond_

  
And somehow it’s perfect.

 

You remember the peak of Team Scourge being around the time you embraced the name ‘Scourge Sisters”. Vriska loved it.   
Everything was so good. It seemed almost too good to last. As Vriska started wearing the clothes of her ancestor, you began wearing that of yours, or at least who you hoped she was. You were becoming what you were both always meant to be, and it felt great.

  
And then one day, you met Team Charge.

  
Team Charge was new. Painfully, excruciatingly new. They didn’t know your track record, maybe that’s why they reached out and tried to set up a game. They were far too underleveled to have anything to do with you. You were prepared to laugh them away. But something strange happened when they introduced themselves. Vriska’s eyes grew wide with a look you knew well. It was the same look she got when she set her eyes on a new prize. It was the look that meant she wanted something and would do anything to obtain it. You had never seen the look applied to a troll before though, it was something you probably should have been concerned about, but didn’t question at the time.

You really should have.

 

It was much later that you finally questioned Vriska. Actually, you questioned her many times, but she kept brushing you off.

_I can see potential in them. We can make them better, there’s just endless potential w8ing to be tapped!!!!!!!!_

  
It became apparent the real cause of her passion was Tavros, which confused you beyond belief. He was the kind of person she usually hated the most. She always insisted on clouding for him, and the scenarios she produced became increasingly difficult.  Meanwhile, you became fast friends with both him and Aradia. Aradia was such a gentle girl, excited about the silliest things. When you played Team Charge it was less intense, but maybe that's what the Scourge Sisters needed right then. Very soon you were all infected with the troll disease of friendship.

But of course, it didn't last.

 

As time progressed you saw Vriska become noticeably more agitated with Tavros. He wasn't excelling as fast as she wanted him to. 

_I don't g8t it why 8s he s8 weak???????? This 8sn't how it's supposed to be. I know he c8n do it, he's j8st not trying h8rd en8ugh!!!!!!!!_

_  
_You didn't interfere. Looking back, maybe you just didn't want to admit something was wrong.

You found out later, of course, about Mindfang's journal. You found out about the Summoner, and about how she was desperately trying to turn Tavros into his equivalent. How it wasn't just roleplaying to her. How she wanted to honestly become everything Mindfang was. How she was convinced that it was the only way she could be happy. 

But you found all of this out too late, it was after Tavros's fall. After you lost Aradia. After Vriska lost her eyes. And after you finally gained yours. 

Without your vison blinding you, you could finally see in the right way. You can see everything you were missing before, and you were missing  _everything._

**Terezi: Approach Destination**  

 _Clack Clack Clack_  

You are drawn out of your memories by the end of the smell of delicious fruity orange. 

_Clack Clack_

She is close now, right around the corner in fact. But you are still conflicted. The murders of your friends is enough evidence for killing her to be justice. But even still.

_Clack Clack_

She is planning to go fight Jack, but it will mean leading him back to the meteor. She doesn't understand, and you know she will regret it. You know because of your powers, but you would know regardless. You know because you know Vriska Serket in a way that no one will ever know her. In a way beyond quadrants. You know her as a sister. And as her sister, you can't let her do it. 

_Clack_

You see the back of her blueberry wings and stop. She turns around and smiles.

And you have made your decision.


End file.
